おかえりアリス 6 [Okaeri Alice 6]

おかえりアリス [Okaeri Alice] #6

by Shuzo Oshimi, 押見修造

『惡の華』『ハピネス』に続く、押見修造 待望の最新作!!

洋平の苦悶。三谷の焦燥。阿野の不安。慧の絶望。

それぞれの″地獄″から抜け出すための糸はあるのか――？

Genres: Manga, LGBT, Comics, Romance, Queer, Drama, Graphic Novels

192 pages, Paperback

First published April 7, 2023

About the author

Shuzo Oshimi (押見修造, Oshimi Shūzō) is a Japanese manga creator.
Drawn in a realistic art style, his comics tend to be psychological dramas exploring the difficulties in human relationships and often touching on disturbing situations and perversions.
Oshimi debuted in 2001 with the manga series Avant-Garde Yumeko, appeared in Kodansha's 'Monthly Shōnen Magazine.' Most of his works since then have been published by Kodansha and Futabasha.
Among his first successes the single volume manga Sweet Poolside (2004), later adapted into a live-action film, and the series Drifting Net Café (2008–2011), also adapted for TV.
Oshimi reached international acclaims with The Flowers of Evil (2009–2014) and Inside Mari (2012–2016), both adapted into successful anime. Other notable works are Blood on the Tracks (2017–2023) and Welcome Back, Alice (2020-2023) .

Reviews

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ — 3/5

As much as this manga has me completely hooked, I genuinely — truly — hope it never gets an adaptation.
I want it to almost get one, to be seriously considered, whispered about, maybe even rumored… but I hope it ultimately never crosses that line.

Don’t ask me why. There’s no neat explanation. Maybe not even one I fully understand myself.
It’s just one of those stories that feels better untouched — powerful, messy, strange, and perfect exactly where it is.

Intriguing enough to deserve recognition.
Chaotic enough that animation might ruin the charm.

A solid read, but one I’d rather stay safely on the page.

[Keiko, the manga enthusiast ♒︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, I honestly don't know what's happening anymore. Overall, it's just too strange.

I'm used to sensei's psychological horror; with blood splattered everywhere, tortured and haunted faces... but with Okaeri Alice... it's like being lost and trying to find your way out in the dark. It's like Alice finally coming out of the hole with new perspectives; It's eerie yet quiet at the same time, the whole time you spent inside the hole. But when you come out, you're just left confused with what the calm is telling you about—like you weren't there a minute ago. Confusing, isn't it?

[Urbon Adamsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume is going to piss off a lot of people but I think Oshimi is a genius, on how he manages to play with the reader's emotions and how he dares to shock the audience.

I really want to see Yo and Kei together. ☺️

[Kat]

yes… gender is a prison, so true..

[Théo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Des fois, la meilleure thérapie, c'est pas d'écrire un livre. C'est d'aller en thérapie.

[Toby · Rating 4 out of 5]

as someone struggling with their own gender, the author is so real for the authors notes

[Irene ➰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

[Kesa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume gives the impression that we are caught in a confusing cycle, but the next volume may promise to provide more clarity. Puberty is a natural stage of development that should not be a source of shame or embarrassment. Based on Oshimi's afterword, it seems that he may have experienced personal challenges during his own puberty, and I am hoping for a satisfying conclusion to the story. Additionally, I believe that individuals should not be limited in their actions or preferences based on their gender. Regardless of whether one is female or male, they should be free to pursue their interests and engage in activities that bring them joy. Unfortunately, it seems that our society has been regressing in recent years.

[Estrella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este tomo nos muestro como los personajes luchan contra esa prisión que es para ellos el género, la sexualidad, centrándose en Yohei, pero también mostrando la tristeza que muchas veces asola a Kei también. Ren aunque más secundario también tiene problemas para aceptar su cuerpo. Por último Mitani sigue en su ciclo autodestructivo utilizando y maltratando a Yohei tratando de calmar la rabia que siente dentro.
Es un manga bastante turbio, pero no es nada nuevo en la obra del autor. Esta trae al final unas reflexiones muy personales del autor sobre su propia lucha para aceptarse.

[giada · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let's All Be Nonbinary Together

[leti · Rating 4 out of 5]

damnnn verdaderamente no tenemos necesidad de un sexo verdadero.... el momento imperio de los sentidos que se está marcando este manga es el pico de la representación trans en el manga

[Lionel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Ander · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Reseña de la serie completa]

En cuestiones de identidad de género, al menos en el manga, Japón es desde hace varias décadas un país muy avanzado en lo que respecta a la representación de personajes trans (hombres, mujeres y personas no binarias), si bien caen con cierta frecuencia en ser objeto de violencia verbal, física o sexual. Siendo así, y pese a la oscura sensibilidad mostrada por Shūzō Oshimi en obras anteriores, era inevitable temerse lo peor de un autor (¿une autore en transición?) cuyas obras destacan por la turbiedad y el desconcierto al centrarse en una obra que explorara estos temas de lleno.

Agradablemente equivocado estaba yo. Welcome Back, Alice cuenta cómo, en el colegio, el pobre Yohei estaba enamorado de su amiga Yui y tenía en Kei a su mejor amigo, del que se vio separado cuando este se mudó. Años después, en el instituto, la joven ha empezado a aceptar los avances de Yohei, pero a él se le rompen los esquemas cuando su compañero Kei regresa al pueblo con una expresión de género femenina (si bien niega adscribirse a una etiqueta concreta, en un principio) y una clara atracción por el que era su mejor amigo. Arrancando como un falso romance de enredo de instituto, el manga aprovecha para superponer al despertar sexual de sus personajes una reflexión sobre la masculinidad del protagonista, las dos caras del consentimiento y la identidad de género en (re)construcción con una sensibilidad inesperada.

Desde un principio, cabe destacar como un tesoro de esta serie los breves epílogos autobiográficos donde Oshimi se desnuda sobre cómo vivió (y vive) estas mismas cuestiones y sus muchas preguntas aún sin resolver. Sus reflexiones sobre el trato a su propio cuerpo, de su relación con el sexo, con la masturbación, y la vergüenza, el dolor y la culpa que ha venido asociando a su experiencia. Un enfoque físico, psicológico, y hasta fisiológico que, de algún modo, ya había explorado en otras obras, como en el vampirismo de Happiness o la retorcida relación materno-filial en Rastros de sangre, pero no de forma tan descarnada y dolorosamente sincera.

Así, Welcome Back, Alice se revela como su obra con un final más feliz, esperanzado, en contraposición al complejo autodesprecio que su autor revela en confesión. Una exploración ambigua de las emociones que también se experimenta a través de su variedad de recursos gráficos, los cuales se tornan existenciales, deconstructivos y esencialistas en los últimos volúmenes, para otorgar una sorprendente y satisfactoria resolución. Queda, pues, otro manga de Shūzō Oshimi único que sigue revelándolo como autor/e imprescindible del manga contemporáneo.

[Sai Fighter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review for the whole series:



This is such a wild read. This series absolutely has to be paired with the author's notes that appear at the end of each volume. It puts a lot of stuff into context.

The "romance" in the series is so back seat to literally everything else going on in the manga. This isn't about a love triangle between childhood friends, this is about Oshimi's own struggle with what it means to be a man. Kei and Yui are not people, they are the two paths of masculinity that Yohei has to choose from. Kei is the ambiguous agender/gender queer departure from strict social expectations that are required to be masculine in the world. Kei represents freedom, an escape from gender all together. This is desirable but not an easy choice to make. Yui is the path of traditional masculine gender identity and masculine sexuality. Things that happen to Yui and Yohei are basically direct translations of Oshimi's own sexual trauma around masculinity. And this struggle between the two paths is represented by a love triangle, which i think its pretty powerful and brilliant.

Then there is Yohei themselves, who is struggling with gender and body dysphoria. Kei and Yui also seem to represent Yohei's struggle between his sexuality and his gender desires. There is a REALLY intense scene during the final volume that just blows my mind and feels like the perfect physical manifestation of this struggle for Yohei. It was honestly amazing.

With that out of the way, this series is going to make you uncomfortable. This manga has sexual assault and dubious consent. I would not say it is full blown rape but its uncomfortable for sure and its suppose to be. There is also self harm in the form of self mutilation. Even with all of this, the manga really made me think about my own gender experience, and while I don't really identify with Oshimi's struggle, this was still such a good read. I literally binged it in like 2 days. Recommend if you can handle it.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 6 has incidents of self harm (spoiler alert) , so beware. As Yo says, “I want out of this swamp of lust.” He’s been pushed and pulled in various directions by Kei and Mitani forever, and he is in anguish, pushed to the edge of sanity. This is a familiar place to get in Oshimi stories, to be clear; people in crisis pushed to the edge of madness.

Kei, reflecting on Mitani’s particular manipulation of Yo, wisely notes, “Mitani needs Yo to be a boy so she can be a girl.” Yo hates Mitani’s (sexual) using him and wants “out.” Kei understands Yo’s agony caused by this manipulation, and regrets, too, his own manipulative (sexual) moves re: Yo in this whole process. Ren, meeting with Yo, hearing his anguish, agrees with him that he should get “out” in any way, though she hadn’t thought it would lead to self-harm, so she regrets her role in the process.

In the end, Yo seems to side with Kei, who had himself opted out of the usual swamp of “is he a boy or a girl” and all the pressured societal and physical gender expectations. But because this is Oshimi writing, there is enough trauma and anguish to go around for a whole school full of teenagers, and I am quite sure we are not done with pain and suffering.

My ratings have shifted as they usually do in reading Oshimi, in my struggle about whether this is just too crazy over the top or a serious exploration of issues. Or both. But in this volume Oshimi does what he usually does best, to use fewer words. and let the images express the emotional content as much as possible.

[xolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

only i can like this manga. goodnight. [ i will say, though i enjoyed the way gender and liberation from it is expressed, some things for sure weren’t necessary or shouldn’t really have been depicted as they were. no i did not need a r@@pe scene! nor did kei (towards the beginning) need to be a psudo sexual predator! leave me alone!!! anyway, it for sure is one of the only pieces of media that displays something so realistic and true to me without making a total mockery of it and actually respecting it for what it was. it sure helps that the author went through the same issues and genuinely wants to share their perspective on it. // four and a half out of five rating for the entire series is what i give it !

[ℂ ✧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

No havia registrat aquesta lectura, sort que estic fent repàs de final d'any ^^' Per a mi, el clímax de l'obra. Cauen les caretes i veiem el patiment que hi ha darrere de cada comportament. És una història molt estranya en què l'autor reflexiona sobre la seva pròpia masculinitat, que no encaixa gens amb el cànon al Japó. Tant allò que expressa com els recursos gràfics que fa servir em semblen fascinants i són el punt fort d'aquesta narració tan potent. Els epílegs em semblen curiosos, per saber d'on venen totes les idees, però no sempre comparteixo el seu punt de vista... no és una sèrie per a tots els públics, això està clar, però tampoc no et deixarà indiferent!

[AsianMerr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easily the best volume when it comes to what the message of the story is but I’d give this volume a 2.5 instead of a 3, it’s not saving what I think about this series. This was the most normal stretch of this series and it ain’t even close. Also why didn’t Kei prevent Mitani from coming? Kind of weird, like it’s pretty obvious what she’s done and for her to switch up is back, shocking Kei didn’t fight her as soon as the announcement was made. Let’s see how the series wraps up.

[47Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

She started all reserved and virginal, but Yui has turned into a sadistic dominatrix. She humiliates Yohei in front of Kei, in public. He finally reaches his breaking point and refuses to play along any more. He always wanted sex, but not like this. He wants to escape and be free. He believes his masculinity is at fault, so he tries to cut it off. Yeah, IT.

[Des Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the genius of the worm stars to shine in this volume. The horror is real, the more of teenage lust and hormones as a prison of doubt and lack of self control. It's relatable, and truly horrific in the context of conservative Japan. The creep factor has lightened up and Yo's revelation was huge. What's next? I hope catharsis.

[aled · Rating 5 out of 5]

all I can say is thank fucki.g god abr kei and yo,,,, I feel like i was so on edge moreso about the friendship element than the sex shit... and I just realllllyyyyyy loved how the author incorporates sexuality sex desire lust with the complexity of adolescents, growing up and figuring what the fUCK is happening with our bodies and minds tbvfh

[Rhys · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really don’t like the way the story is going. Welcome back Alice really reminds me of the flowers of evil especially at the beginning but just like how it get better as it continued welcome back alice gets worse. All of the characters suck and are really stupid. I do like the themes but it’s put in a way which makes it seem artsy in a way which is lame. 4.2/10

[Tobias Cornia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oshimi è un pazzo e le sue storie sono sempre belle malate (cosa che ci piace ma a volte caga un po' fuori dal vaso, almeno per me) ma questo volume mi ha toccato l'anima in una maniera che non so neanche spiegare. So solo che mi è piaciuto tantissimo.

[Sara Samano · Rating 5 out of 5]

(What a volume to start pride month in) We're given the aha moment with a psychological tormented mind in the process. Reading the afterword from the mangaka gave me more clarification in his perspective, I'm glad I didn't skip it. This will be one of their series that will stick with me.

[Denunikke · Rating 5 out of 5]

No way I did this In almost two days. What a masterpiece. Detailed and thoughtful review coming out in 7. Vol of the manga. Welcome Back Alice truly blurrs and reastablishes the unchangeable and difficulty of sexuality and gender but artisticly and filosoficaly.

[LivThebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just wow

[Karoline · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4⭐

🥺

[KarleeXx0 · Rating 3 out of 5]

So bizarre.

[Brainrotz]

I think shuzo oshimi needs to relax cuz why is everything he's ever put out actually insane

[Mae · Rating 3 out of 5]

All you gotta do is keep pushing and your brain will do the mental gymnastics to help you lie to yourself that you understand the plot.